I'd also like to hear about what the converts miss about their previous faith tradition/community - if anything. Often when changing churchs, denominations or faiths, the stories focus on the positive of the new path, but I think there could be some sadness at what was left behind. There has been sadness for me in changing my path, so I'd like to hear other perspectives

Sent by BADavis | 10:00 PM ET | 02-05-2007

I would have like to hear more about the actual process of conversion for each of these women (although I understand that you probably didn't go into detail because of time constraints.) What piqued my interest in the conversion process was when one of the guests said that she could tell, by Ms. Martin's line of question, that Ms. Martin expected conversion to be difficult, yet the women each said that it wasn't. Like Ms. Martin, it never ocurred to me that conversion wouldn't be difficult so I would have liked a little more discussion on that topic.

Sent by Dennis | 10:58 AM ET | 02-06-2007

First, I found it interesting how the guests reacted to how you, Michel, were asking questions. You're assuming that their conversions and experiences in what some would consider as an unusual religion for them were difficult, but they beg to differ.

I really enjoy how this segment focused on people having experiences with diversity -- cherishing a religion not commonly associated with one's ethnic group. This subject is so more complex and textured than the normal diversity story, which typically is quite "black and white." While racial relations is an important topic, it is so much more fascinating when people choose to assume, not just confront, differences or suddenly find themselves in situations where they didn't expect to be different.

Concerning covering diversity in relation to spirituality, I would suggest finding guests who have the same religion but are of different groups (race, ethnicity, nationality, income bracket, education level, occupational, gender, sexual orientation, or some other defining characteristic). How do these different characteristics affect their beliefs? For instance, why are many African American Christian congregations known for their soulful music during their services when other congregations of the denomination lack such music? Or, do the entertainers Donny Osmond and Gladys Knight view their Mormon beliefs differently? If so, does race account for those differences? If not, does something else like their upbringing cause this divergence?

Sent by Steve Petersen | 11:53 AM ET | 02-06-2007

I was fascinated to hear these stories of conversion, having gone through one of my own. However, my conversion wasn't nearly as drastic (Catholic to Baptist).

One of the things Darshan-Kaur Khalsa said struck a chord with me. She was talking about how she dressed different as part of her religion, and how that made her stick out. She mentioned that she liked it in a way because she felt it was a way of letting other people know about her religion. That is something I struggle with as a Baptist. At work and in public, I try to display the characteristics of a Christian, but there is no way to "advertise" (for lack of a better word) my religion without bringing it up constantly, which can be very irritating to others.

I know one of the objectives of this show is to shatter stereotypes, so as for other religious topics, I'd like to see a show focusing on evangelical Chritians who fight for social justice (poverty relief, free trade, debt forgiveness, AIDS treatments, global warming, etc.)

Thanks!

Sent by Scott K | 11:57 AM ET | 02-06-2007

To me, these didn't really sound like conversion stories. Darshan-Kaur Khalsa was labeled as having switched from protestant Christianity to Sikhism, but when she begins talking about her family background, it really doesn't sound like she started off in a Christian upbringing. Cheryle Bryant also doesn't have many connections with the Christian faith that she supposedly left. I suppose conversion for these women wasn't particularly difficult, because in reality, it sounds as if they were moving from a non-religious/secular lifestyle to a religious lifestyle. This may be just my impression because their past faiths are not discussed in depth. Their reasons for switching are very broad and unspecific. I would have liked to hear more about the differences between the two faiths, versus the somewhat cliche, "I found peace and fulfullment." I also think it is a bit misleading to preface the interviews as conversions from Christianity to Judaism and Sikhism. I think that if you had chosen people who were authentically another faith before, versus just nominally or traditionally, you would have found that they would have experienced a lot more hardships and difficulties with conversion.

Sent by Jennifer C | 3:38 PM ET | 02-07-2007

I very much enjoyed this segment. It would have been great to have some links to resources (perhaps here in the blog) that give more information about the religions discussed. For example, I don't know much about Sikhism, so I ended up looking up information online while listening.

Sent by Katherine Welsh | 4:54 PM ET | 02-07-2007

Rep. Ellison is originally from the state of Michigan but represents the fifth district of Minnesotta.

Sent by Victoria Wassmer | 5:07 PM ET | 02-07-2007

I appreciated this segment on conversion. As a Jamaican American woman who converted to Islam, I have conversations like this everyday. Clearly, most people do not associate Jamaicans with Islam (though there are a growing number of us and the Caribbean itself has has long history with Islam). I have been accused, by many people, of what Dr. Sherman Jackson calls "cultural apostasy". (Especially after I donned the hijab- the hair covering and modest clothing). It was comforting to know that there are other women out there who chose different paths from others around them.

Thank you for doing this story.

Sent by Shahidah Maayif | 12:06 PM ET | 02-08-2007

Although I appreciated what each of the three guests had to say about their 'conversions,' the conversions were all interfaith (from one religion to another). It would have been much more engaging and interesting to have this segment immediately followed by a second discussion with two guests, a former agnostic or atheist who has 'found' religion and a former practitioner of organized religion who has given it up. Thus, the program would explore not only conversions between religions, but conversions both into and out of religion, which would perhaps shed some light on why people choose to practice any religion at all and what aspects of organized religion people find attractive.

Sent by Grey | 10:28 PM ET | 02-08-2007

I have been listening to Rough Cuts since the first episode and was consistantly pleased with the guests and interviewees until "Conversion Stories." There wasn't any dischord or disagreement among the guests although they came from very different backgrounds, and none of them wanted to tell a different story from the other two. I think this segment would have been strengthened if it were formatted more like the show on Modern Day Oprahs: first you talk with regular folks about their experiences, then second you talked to maybe an imam who could talk about conversions of White Americans to Islam post-9/11. That would have strengthened the political bit and provided some needed contrast.

Sent by Joanna Schenke | 3:37 AM ET | 02-09-2007

If you had asked me to quickly name a convert to Islam, I would have offered Muhammad Ali and Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), two positive examples.

Sent by Nanci Wesling | 1:21 PM ET | 02-09-2007

Excellent program. It would have been interesting if there was also a person who moved away from the religious faith of their childhood and found direction elsewhere. Many people raised in religious communities don't understand how Atheists and Agnostics can find meaning outside of faith-based teachings - in life and kindness and love.

Sent by Elliot Winard | 8:55 PM ET | 02-10-2007

This story was very interesting but I think there was a VERY IMPORTANT part missing, atheists. I have a feeling that there are more people becoming atheists then people converting from one religion to another. Could you do a segment/story on atheists?

Sent by Nune | 3:42 PM ET | 02-23-2007

I am a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Since April 2001 and still today, I am the sole Latter-Day Saint in my native family. After my conversion, I was not permitted to speak when I visited my old Christian Youth Group. My old Youth Group leader even told me that my conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ was the result of me listening to oppressive demons that surrounded me. My former Christian associates interrupted me in public places for reading the Book of Mormon, denouncing it and my decision to read it. Another person told me that Satan now dwells within me. Friends told me it was a "secretive group" and to be wary. Members of my family sent anti-Mormon books and literature in the mail and friends gave me anti-Mormon tapes to listen to. I listened to about two minutes of one and was so turned off that I "turned it off" as the man declaring the Church of Jesus Christ to be a fraud was harsh and had an arrogant attitude. I was raised in mainstream Christianity, and the churches I attended vehemently decried Latter-Day Saints. I am not brainwashed, homogeneous, deceived or leeching off of the religion of my family. Did my conversion include ???thinking for myself???? You had better believe it!
It can be a risky thing to investigate other religions, at least from what I had been taught. The theory was that if a person betrayed God by seeking for more, then he or she would be out of His providence and would be fair game for Satan. Somehow Satan would usurp the mind and will. Conversion, therefore, for me, was not a light matter. It was quite a struggle because I had to lay all my beliefs out and examine them. I had to be humble and admit I didn???t have all the answers. Ha, of course when the missionaries came over for the first discussion, I had my hand poised over my Holy Bible, ready to teach the ???Mormons??? a thing or two about the truth. Well, someone learned the truth -- me.
My conversion was not instantaneous. I pored over the Bible day and night to find answers to the Church of Jesus Christ's claims. I prayed and I felt calm. Was it a super emotional experience? No. To be honest, I thought it would be a lot bigger of a bang, replete with goose-bumps, tears and lots of ???hallelujahs!??? What I did feel was peace. I liked the orderly lives of the members. I liked that they weren't "radicals," just good people who bore witness of what they believe and invited others to experience it as well. I liked that I could integrate and function within the world while still being a Christian; that I didn't have to hole myself away in some cave waiting for the Second Coming of Christ in order to remain "pure." I was softened as I listened to humble members testify of the goodness of God. The missionaries and members cared about me, for me, with members even taking me into their homes when I fell ill. I was inspired with the passion and dedication that Joseph Smith had as he was the Lord???s instrument in bringing forth the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ upon the earth. Most of all, I found more of God.
Have I ever been less than 100 percent convinced? Yes. I ???flunked??? as I called it, my first Baptism interview. At that time, I didn't believe the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to be the only true Church on the face of the earth. I've since learned more about what the true Church as given by Jesus Christ really is. I was angry over certain doctrines. I felt the Book of Mormon AND the Holy Bible were pretty dry at the time, like eating cotton. I was scared with the unfamiliar, the ???what-nows???? Oh boy, I HATED the Hymns when I first attended Church and I was inwardly livid when the smiling Relief Society ladies talked about the joys of family. I felt that these women live in their own little bubbles and knew nothing of pain. Then I heard about Joseph Smith???s hard times and I softened. Even after my conversion, I thought I needed a bigger dose of the Spirit as in super joy and holy feelings. I thought at one time, ???Oh well, this didn???t work, I'll just try something else.??? I had faithful friends and missionaries, though, who sat for long hours sympathizing with me, and who explained more about ???spirituality.??? They assured me that joy would come. Amidst many tears, frustrations, and inner wrangling over religion in general, I believed these good people. I had hope in what they said and felt comfort from the scriptures. My conversion was not a solo process.
Through this experience, I have learned that, ??????weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning,??? (Psalm 30:5). I learned from the example the Savior set in the Garden of Gethsemane, that doing what is right does not always produce warm-fuzzies. It can well nigh be hell on earth!
I wrote the following poem during this time:
THE CHALLENGE
Meet life with all that is in you
And scream when you???re crying alone
Dare to travel that off-beaten track
Even when running on your own
Fight for your freedom, you???ll be weary
But war is what liberty demands
Claw your way to that higher existence
Laying hold upon fate with both hands
So why did I convert? The bottom line is that I needed more than a one-time prayer that guaranteed salvation, regardless of how I lived or what I did. Too many mainstream Christian teachings did not add up with the Bible. I used to bring my scriptures to Church and read them on my lap as the pastors preached because I just didn???t believe in everything being taught. It was like one dead end after another, here a doctrine, there a doctrine. I think every church I ever attended prior to becoming a Latter-Day Saint had its own creed of what truth is. There was no unity and ultimately, there were not a lot of answers either.
Funny, Joseph Smith had the same dilemma.
In regards to prophets, I was blessed to have a private meeting with the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley in Dec. of 2001. He is the Prophet of the Lord! In his gentle and enthusiastic way, he is a man of authority! He is distinct and the witness of the Spirit within me confirms that he is the messenger of the Lord every time I hear him speak.
Christ is alive. His work moves forward. Another Testament of His Divinity and Redeeming Power has spoken from the dust, even the Book of Mormon. I am not confused, I am born again. With Job, I say, "I know that my redeemer liveth???"(Job 19:25). In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Sent by Jennifer Giles | 6:54 PM ET | 09-15-2007